Five hot fashion exhibitions for summer in Paris

Featuring Yves Saint- Laurent’s transparent creations, the career of a forgotten muse and precious little objects from the 18^th century, these five fashion exhibitions in the French capital are not to be missed.

Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn, the first supermodel in history

Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn (1911-1992) had an air of Grace Kelly mixed with a hint of Catherine Deneuve. She was a dancer, photographer, sculptor and fashion designer. But it’s her modeling career that the Maison Européenne de la Photographie, in the Marais district of central Paris, celebrates this spring through an extensive photographic exhibition, until May 26, spanning from 1935 to 1955. During those years, she was the greatest supermodel of her time, even before the term existed.

Born in Sweden, the young woman moved to Paris in 1933 and became one of Christian Dior’s favorite models. She then collaborated with many photographers, including Horst P. Horst, Erwin Blumenfeld, Richard Avedon and Irving Penn – who later became her husband – and frequently appeared on the front pages of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. The exhibition, which includes around 150 prints, also features creations by Cristobal Balenciaga (1895-1972), Lucien Lelong (1889-1958), Charles James (1906-1978) and the Weill brand.

From snuffboxes to candy jars, the luxury of the Enlightenment

Embroidered fabric pouches, snuffboxes, candy jars, ointment bottles, patch or blush boxes, these small, luxurious – and portable – objects were emblematic of 18^th-century style, while highlighting the growing importance of craftsmanship. The Musée Cognacq-Jay, housed in the splendid Hôtel Donon in the Marais district, is currently hosting an exhibition all about these items until September 29.

Ernest Cognacq (1839-1928), who, with his wife Marie-Louise Jaÿ (1838-1925), co-founded the La Samaritaine department store in 1870, bequeathed his collection of artworks and precious objects to the City of Paris. This was the starting point for this exhibition, enhanced by loans from the Louvre, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, the Palais Galliera and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, among others. Also on display are period clothes, which share aesthetic affinities with these small items: buttons adorned with mother-of-pearl, men’s waistcoats made of silk taffeta, canes with enameled porcelain handles, along with pocket watches in gold and enamel, sometimes studded with rubies. This meticulous craftsmanship needs to be appreciated up close.

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